Indexing system for revolvers

ABSTRACT

A revolver is constructed in two interlocking subassemblies, thereby avoiding the traditional side plate assembly techniques conventional in revolver construction. A cylinder is mounted on the first, or frame, subassembly and is provided with a series of indexing grooves spaced in conventional fashion. The indexing grooves include an entry channel with a ramped bottom sloping to an indexing well. The indexing well is configurated with a check surface opposite the entry channel and substantially normal the outer surface of the cylinder. The second, or trigger guard, subassembly carries the entire firing and indexing mechanisms of the revolver including a cylinder stop member. The engaging end of the stop member has a sloped or ramp end, and is configurated in substantial conformance with the indexing well. With the two subassemblies joined, the stop member is positioned to register with the grooves in turn as the cylinder is rotated, thereby to precisely register the chambers of the cylinder with the barrel of the revolver.

United States Patent [191 Hartog Nov. 11, 1975 INDEXING SYSTEM FOR REVOLVERS [75] Inventor: Thomas J. Hartog, Gunnison, Utah [73] Assignee: Browning Arms Company, Morgan,

Utah

22 Filed: Apr. 26, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 464,573

[52] US. Cl 42/67; 42/65 [51] Int. Cl. F41C 1/00 [58] Field of Search 42/67, 65

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,733,529 2/1956 Ruger 42/67 3.245,l67 4/1966 Freed t t. 42/65 3,768,190 10/1973 Ruger et a1. 42/65 3,777,384 12/1973 Ruger et al. 42/65 3,810,326 5/1974 Hillberg et a1. 42/65 Primary EraminerVerlin R. Pendegrass Assistant E.\aminerC. T. Jordan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Trask & Britt [5 7] AB STRA'CT A revolver is constructed in two interlocking subassemblies, thereby avoiding the traditional side plate assembly techniques conventional in revolver construction. A cylinder is mounted on the first, or frame, subassembly and is provided with a series of indexing grooves spaced in conventional fashion. The indexing grooves include an entry channel with a ramped bottom sloping to an indexing well. The indexing well is configurated with a check surface opposite the entry channel and substantially normal the outer surface of the cylinder. The second, or trigger guard, subassembly carries the entire firing and indexing mechanisms of the revolver including a cylinder stop member. The engaging end of the stop member has a sloped or ramp end, and is configurated in substantial conformance with the indexing well. With the two subassemblies joined, the stop member is positioned to register with the grooves in turn as the cylinder is rotated, thereby to precisely register the chambers of the cylinder with the barrel of the revolver.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 3918,18

INDEXING SYSTEM FOR REVOLVERS RELATED APPLICATIONS US. Patent application Ser. No. 337,004, filed Mar. 1, 1973, now US. Pat. No. 3,810,326, discloses and claims a novel revolver constructed with two interlocking subassemblies. This application discloses an indexing system especially useful in connection with that type of revolver construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field: This invention relates to revolvers. Specifically, this invention provides a novel indexing system for precisely registering the chambers of a rotating cylinder with the barrelf of a revolver.

State of the Art: Indexing systems of typical revolvers include indexing grooves corresponding to each chamber of the cylinder and a cylinder stop which sequentially engages these slots to register the individual chambers of the cylinder with the barrel. These grooves may terminate in a recess or well for ultimate en gagement of the stop, thereby to check both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the cylinder. Prior art systems require precise timing for proper entry of the stop into the appropriate indexing slot. Otherwise, the momentum of the rotating cylinder can carry a chamber beyond the registration point. This misalignment is potentially hazardous. The construction procedures and parts inherent in prior art revolver manufacture have not lent themselves to adequate correction of this problem, especially in the case of less expensive handguns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As disclosed by the aforementioned Ser. No. 337,004 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,326), the various structural members of a revolver may be mounted in subassemblies. The members are all more or less conventional in function, and their general interrelationship in the completely assembled revolver is also generally conventional. The specific shapes and configurations of the individual members of the indexing system is different from corresponding members of other firearms, however. These differences simplify the assembly procedures involved and provide stronger and more reliable parts.

Each subassembly includes a plurality of members which are easily mounted within the subassembly, being held in place with pins and/or internal surfaces. The corresponding members of revolvers constructed by side plate assembly techniques are relatively difficult to position properly and often include a plurality of parts. Many of these parts must be fastened in place with screws from the'outside surfaces of the gun. The members of the preferred subassemblies of this invention are cooperatively adapted so that the subassemblies may be interlocked and fastened in place with a single assembly pin or screw. The present invention may be applied to revolvers constructed by other techniques, however.

A first subassembly of the preferred form of this invention includes a barrel member and a frame member which includes the major portion of the frame of the revolver. This subassembly is for convenience referred to herein as the frame subassembly. It includes a receiving space for mounting of a cylinder subassembly, which includes a cylinder mounted on a cylinder crane.

It also includes a receiving space for insertion of a firing pin, and in most instances accommodates a cylinder release plunger. The cylinder subassembly is for convenience regarded herein as a removable portion of the frame subassembly, whereas the firing pin, cylinder release plunger, or any other components loosely mountable within the frame are regarded as ancillary for purposes of this disclosure.

A second subassembly, which is for convenience referred to herein as a trigger guard subassembly, carries all of the indexing and firing mechanisms of the revolver. (The firing pin, which is best loosely mounted within the frame subassembly, is not regarded as a portion of the firing mechanism for purposes of this disclosure.) The preferred methods and apparatus of this invention not only reduce the number of members required for indexing and firing, they also permit the use of larger (hence stronger) parts. Moreover, the moving parts are provided with more uniform support than has been available through side plate assembly techniques.

The various members carried by the subassemblies are cooperatively arranged to ensure their working alignment when the subassemblies are interlocked. Moreover, support surfaces are provided in association with the subassemblies to assist in proper alignment of the various members and to ensure structural rigidity of the assembled revolver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, which illustrate what is presently regarded as the best mode for carrying out the invention:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the assembled revolver of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a frame subassembly of this invention, including a cylinder and cylinder crane subassembly;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a trigger guard subassembly of this invention, without hand grips;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary side views in elevation, partially broken away, of a portion of the trigger guard subassembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a cylinder and cylinder stop of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of a prior art construction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, a trigger guard subassembly of this invention includes a structural support member 10 with a conventional rear handle portion 11 and a channeled frontal portion 12 projecting forward therefrom. The sidewalls 12a, 12b of the frontal portion of the support member 10 form a channeled interior. A hammer 13 is mounted to pivot on a hammer pin 14 inserted through bores in the sidewalls 12a, 12b. In like fashion, a trigger 15, trigger spring 16 and cylinder stop 18 are pivotally attached by pins 19, 20 and 21, respectively. The pins bear uniformly on the respective sidewalls 12a, 12b, thereby insuring uniform support of the pivoting mechanisms. An index lever 22 (cylinder pawl) and striker plate lever 23 are carried by the trigger 15, being pivotally journaled withiin opposite ends of a bore 15a. A mainspring 24 and strut 25 are attached to the hammer 13 as shown. The mainspring 24 operates on spring guide 27 to bias the hammer forward, and the strut 25 is biased forward by an internal spring (not shown). One end 27a of the guide is configurated to constantly engage a portion 130 of the hammer, while theshaft 27b of the guide slides through the bearing plate 28.v

The firing and indexing mechanisms shown function in the fashions known as single-action or doubleaction, i.e., the revolver may be fired by first pulling back on the hammer 13, then releasing the hammer at will(by pulling back the trigger or by merely pulling back the trigger 15 alone.

Referring to FIG. 2, a frame subassembly of this invention includes a frame 41 which consists of a barrel portion 42, a cylinder housing 43 and a bifurcated rear portion 44 configurated interiorly to receive the trigger guard subassembly of FIG. 3. The cylinder 45 and crane 46 shown comprise a removable cylinder subassembly- (a portion of the frame subassembly). As shown, the cylinder 45 includes an axial pin 47 which is rotatably mounted within a crane sleeve- 48, and the entire crane member 46 is pivotally secured within the cylinder housing 43 by means of a pin 49 inserted through the bore 50. The pin 49 is inserted through the bifurcated rear portion 44 of the frame and is secured in place by the abutment of surface 26 of the trigger guard frame 12 (FIG. 3) when the trigger guard subassembly of FIG. 3 is joined to the frame subassembly of FIG. 2.

A portion of the front cylinder housing portion 43 of the frame is formed as a recess 51 to receive the cylinder crane 46, thereby registering the cylinder 45 in its proper position for firing. The crane 46 is configurated to fill the opening 51. The cylinder 45 itself functions and is indexed in conventional manner except for the improvements referred to hereinafter. Outward pivoting of the cylinder for loading is checked by contact of an extension 52 of the crane 46 with a hidden crane stop surface 53 within the frame 41.

After mounting all of the components of the trigger guard and frame subassemblies, except the latch 61, a firing pin 73 and cylinder-release plunger (hidden below pin 73) are slipped into place, and thesubassemblies are joined by sliding rails 54 into corresponding grooves 55. Initially, the strike plate lever 23 and index lever 22 are pivoted forward to enable these two components to enter beneath the slotted top edge 56 of the frame 41. The trigger guard subassembly 10 is then partially inserted within the frame subassembly until the index lever 22 passes the opening 57. The latch 61 is then inserted in the opening 57, and insertion of the trigger guard subassembly is completed. With the subassemblies properly joined, the indexing and firing mechanism operably register with the cylinder and firing pin. The assemblies 10, 41 are secured by a single assembly pin 58 as shown. Hand grips 79 are attached to the rear 1 1 of the trigger guard subassembly to cover the assembly pin 58, being held in place by a single visible screw 71.

the cylinder 45 before the cylinder has completed its incremental revolution into its selected firing position. This modification improves the reliability of the firearm with respect to registering the cylinder chambers 60 with the barrel 42.

In operation, when the-trigger 15 is pulled, the pawl 22 is lifted to engage and spin the cylinder 45 clockwise as viewed in FIGS '6 and 7. FIG. 4 illustrates the cylinder stop 18 in its stop position; that is, the projection 18a is registered within an indexing groove 59. FIG. 5 shows the manner in which the projection 18a is pulled from the groove 59 by the trigger 15 to permit the cylinder 45 to spin. The mechanism is timed so that the projection 15b of the trigger releases the projection 18b 7 of the cylinder stop prior to firing. The projection 18b is biased towards the grooves 59 by a hidden spring. The projection 18a thus returns to contact the rotating cylinder in time to engage the next groove 59, thereby to lock the cylinder 45 in precisely the correct position (with a chamber 60 exactly registered with the bore of the barrel 42) prior to firing.

The stop 18 is slotted to ride on a pin 65. The stop 18 can thus move sufficiently for the trigger projection 15b to reengage the stop projection 18b upon release of the trigger 15 prior to a subsequent firing of the revolver. The leading edge of the projection 18b is beveled to form an entry ramp for -the leading edge of the projection 15b. (Compare FIGS. 4 and 5.)

An important aspect of the indexing system of this invention is the cooperative configurations of the projection 18a and the grooves 59. Each slot includes a shallow leading ramp portion 590 and a well portion 59b. The terminal portion of the projection 18a is configurated to register with the well portion 59b substantially completely; that is, in contact with substantially the entire surface of the well. The ramp 59a portions of the grooves assist entry of the projection 18a into the I well portions and decrease the time interval required for entry once the cylinder has rotated to proper position for registration. Of primary importance is the ramped distal surface 18c of the projection 18a. As shown by FIGS. 6 and 7, this ramped surface permits partial entry of the stop 18 into the well 59b beyond the level of the bottom of. the shallow ramp 59a. Accordingly, contact of the check surface 590 of the groove by the stop surface 18d is positive over a substantial area at the instant the cylinder chamber is registered with the barrel. Complete entry of the projection 18 into the well 59b is thus assured. By contrast, the prior art stop 64 (FIG. 7) is held out of the well 62 by the shallow ramp surface 63 until the cylinder is substantially in its registered position. Positive engagement by the prior art structure requires much more precision of timing.

It should be noted that the structure illustrated also incorporates a safety feature whereby the striker plate lever 23 is linked to the hammer 13 and trigger 15 so that it registers with the firing pin 73 only the when the trigger is pulled. Thus, the gun cannot be discharged accidentally by merely releasing the hammer. When the trigger is not pulled, the striker lever 23 reposes entirely below the firing pin, and a projection 13b on the hammer 13 holds the remainder of the hammer out of contact with the pin.

Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.

I claim:

1. In a revolver including means for spinning a cylinder mounted within a frame in response to pulling a trigger to bring individual chambers of the cylinder sequentially into registration with a bore of a barrel at- 5 6 tached to said frame, the improvement which comwell portion in response to pulling of said trigger to prises: permit said cylinder to rotate and thereafter to rea series of indexing grooves arranged in a ring around lease id st m ns t engage the ramp portion the outer surface of the cylinder, one such groove f the next Succeeding groove b f h Cone- Corresponding to each Chamber of the Cylinder and 5 sponding chamber is urged into registration with each of said grooves comprising a shallow ramp portion at the leading end of the groove and a well portion at the trailing end of the groove terminating in a check surface;

said bore. 2. The improvement of claim l wherein the registering portion of said projection is configurated to constop means normally biased to register with the well g i with i f 'l 9 ig i portion of the groove corresponding with a cham- Improvement 0 C mm W Sal 0p her in registration with the bore of the barrel inmeans mounted to the frame of Sald revolver by eluding a projection with a ramped distal surface to mfians which Permit engagement by 'f mgger to pull permit partial entry of said projection into said well Sald p means from engagement Wlth a 531d groove as the cylinder is advanced towards its registered 5 and release y Said gg While Said trigger is Still position; and pulled to permit engagement by said stop means of said linkage means cooperative with said stop means and next succeeding groove.

said trigger to retract said stop means from said 

1. In a revolver including means for spinning a cylinder mounted within a frame in response to pulling a trigger to bring individual chambers of the cylinder sequentially into registration with a bore of a barrel attached to said frame, the improvement which comprises: a series of indexing grooves arranged in a ring around the outer surface of the cylinder, one such groove corresponding to each chamber of the cylinder and each of said grooves comprising a shallow ramp portion at the leading end of the groove and a well portion at the trailing end of the groove terminating in a check surface; stop means normally biased to register with the well portion of the groove corresponding with a chamber in registration with the bore of the barrel including a projection with a ramped distal surface to permit partial entry of said projection into said well as the cylinder is advanced towards its registered position; and linkage means cooPerative with said stop means and said trigger to retract said stop means from said well portion in response to pulling of said trigger to permit said cylinder to rotate and thereafter to release said stop means to engage the ramp portion of the next succeeding groove before the corresponding chamber is urged into registration with said bore.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the registering portion of said projection is configurated to conform substantially with the well portion of said grooves.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said stop means is mounted to the frame of said revolver by means which permit engagement by said trigger to pull said stop means from engagement with a said groove and release by said trigger while said trigger is still pulled to permit engagement by said stop means of said next succeeding groove. 